Student Organization Awards Ceremony

The Student Organization Awards Ceremony brings together the leadership of Tufts’ Student Organizations to celebrate their accomplishments during the school year. Each year, the Office for Campus Life receives over 100 nominations for the awards. Members of the Tufts community, including students and administrators, come together to present the awards to these hard working student organizations. The Awards Committee, made up of student leaders and administrators from various areas of the campus community, will review the nominations and select the winners. Winners will be announced at the annual Student Organization Awards Ceremony in April. For a student organization to be considered they must be in good standing with the TCUJ (Tufts Community Union Judiciary) and the CSL (Committee on Student Life). Nominated student organizations should be TCU recognized or a university department recognized student organization. Any nominated organization must be officially registered with the Office for Campus Life for the current year.The 2019 ceremony will take place on April 24, 2019 at 7 pm in Alumnae Lounge. Nominated organizations will be invited to attend.

Award names and descriptions

Collaboration Award, 2018 Award Presented to Engineering Student Council
The Collaboration Award is given in recognition of a co-sponsored program that demonstrates synergy and success as a result of working together. This award celebrates student organizations that have made collaboration a top priority. The recipients have demonstrated they can break down barriers between diverse student populations and foster greater communication between different organizations on campus. This may have occurred through programs, conversations, or publicity for a cause. These organizations have enhanced the Tufts experience and made a larger contribution to the community with their collaboration.

Community Connection Award, 2018 Award Presented to JumboCode
The Community Connection Award is given annually in recognition of an organization that positively impacts the campus and the greater Tufts community. The University encourages the advancement of humanity and the improvement of today’s global community through active citizenship. This organization strives to be a community builder through service, education, inspiration, and connection. The recipient of this award has made outstanding and meaningful connections inside and outside of the Tufts community.

Greek Chapter of the Year Award, 2018 Award Presented to Lambda Pi ChiThe Mount Olympus Award is given annually in recognition of Greek Chapter of the Year. It celebrates the accomplishments of an organization in the Greek community. The organization receiving this award shows effective self-governance, embodies the values of the Tufts Fraternity and Sorority system, promotes leadership and student learning, and/or models social justice. This award also recognizes Fraternity and Sorority leadership in academic, social, and community service organizations.

Imagination Award, 2018 Award Presented to BEATs
The Imagination Award is given annually in recognition of innovation and creativity in a student organization. With over 300 student organizations and more than one thousand events in the course of an academic year an organization with new ideas quickly stands out above the rest. This may be exhibited through novelty programming, member recruitment, or within the organizational structure of the group. The recipient of this award demonstrates exemplary imagination in fulfillment of its mission within the Tufts community.

Jumbo Award, 2018 Award Presented to Tufts Mountain ClubThe Dean Bruce Reitman Jumbo Award is given to an organization or program that embodies Tufts history, traditions, and mission. This award is named after former Dean of Students, Bruce Reitman A’74 who was a pillar of the Tufts community for 39 years until his retirement in 2015. During his time at Tufts, and especially as the Dean of Students since 2000, Bruce always encouraged, supported and challenged student leaders and student organizations to be the very best Jumbos they could be, always representing the true essence of Tufts University. Tufts tradition was very important to Bruce and always a focus of his work as he helped numerous student leaders and student organizations during his tenure at Tufts. This award will be presented to a student organization or program from this past year that truly represents the ideals and traditions of Tufts University.

Legacy Award, 2018 Award Presented to TUSC Film SeriesThe Dot McAveeney Legacy Award is in honor of a thirty three year Tufts employee. Dot McAveeney’s contributions impacted several departments across the campus, most recently in the Office for Campus Life, until her retirement in 2011. This award is given annually to a student organization that has achieved success this year and has maintained longstanding tradition since its inception at Tufts. The recipient of this award is well-known and respected by students, staff, and the outside community. This organization continues to enhance the Tufts experience through its mission and has created a legacy through contributions to the intellectual and social community.

New Organization of the Year Award, 2018 Award Presented to Time to DanceThe New Organization of the Year Award recognizes a student organization that has been formed in the Tufts community in the past two years. As interests evolve, so do the recognized organizations that are meeting and programming to reflect the students’ co-curricular pursuits. We receive over fifty applications each fall for new student organizations that reflects the changing needs of students. The recipient of this award demonstrates growth and progress toward achieving their mission through membership and programming. The New Organization of the Year signifies they have a promising future at Tufts.

Program of the Year Award, 2018 Award Presented to Action for Sexual Assault PreventionThe Standing Room Only award is given annually in recognition of the Program of the Year. Student organizations put together academic and social programs that reach five to five thousand students. The recipient of this award planned a successfully popular program that had a significant impact on the Tufts community. In keeping with its name, this award recognizes remarkable attendance and excitement for a new or annual program held during the year.

Publicity of the Year Award, 2018 Award Presented to TUSC MarketingThe Herald Award is given annually in recognition of outstanding publicity. A student organization’s promotion of their group and their group’s work is an important part of the event-planning process. Each year, we recognize a student organization that thinks outside the box to market and advertise. The recipient of this award exhibits creativity, inclusivity, and wide reach to attract students to events or to promote awareness of a cause. This student organization has gone above and beyond to demonstrate the importance of publicity.

Student Organization of the Year Award, 2018 Award Presented to Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha
The Student Organization of the Year Award is presented annually to an outstanding group that has made significant contributions to the Tufts community. The organization has set goals and furthers its mission through its work this year. The recipient of this award has gone above and beyond as an organization through programming, education, and leadership. The outstanding student organization has raised the bar for other groups and strives for excellence in all of its endeavors.